Once in a life time

[inquiry]

I agree. Where did the heart jack go? At your talbe, north could have solved the problem by passing the leap to 4♥. 4NT was unnecssary, a fit had been found. The problem is, 4♥ is an underbid. I think most people will be in at least 5♥ here, me included.

[helene_t]

Whereagles, I don't know about you, but every time I open a gambling 3NT I seem to get a bad result. It doesn't arise that often anyway. Mind you 3NT as a specific Ace ask doesn't either.....

That's funny, I think I generally get good results from opening 3NT which I cannot say about the rest of my preempt structure which I probably apply with too little discipline.

 

My last 3NT was a mixed experience. LHO fooled me by underleading an ace (what a joke) leading to 7 down in a makeable contract. We won 0.2 IMPs (X-IMPs) because opps were cold for 4♠.

[mikeh]

To Phil and Mike:

 

In an uncontested auction the chance of getting preference or support for ♠/♥ is fifty-fifty. However, I have a slight advantage if I pretend that I have longer hearts (♥, ♠, ♠).

 

Now, if I get the heart preference I am hoping for, I am better positioned with exclusion because ♥K is a key card.

 

Roland

My gut instinct was that there was likely to be a lot of interference that would or might derail this nice plan: so I did a simulation of 50 hands, using the posted hand, not the apparent actual hand (so it held the ♥J). It seemed to me, on a quck scan, that there would be significant disruption of the auction on about 17 hands. On many of them, the auction would likely be at the 5 level by the time it got back to opener: without partner having been able to raise whichever major opener bid.

 

 

Again, a rough estimate has it at about 20% that, if opener bids 1♥, he cannot show ♠s below the 5-level, which makes it pretty dangerous to open 1♥, it seems to me.

 

These simulations are imperfect in that I am making subjective decisions about the extent to which the opps will compete, but there are a lot of 10-11 card minor fits in these 50 deals (altho some of them are between an opp and partner :) ) and I am assuming that EW will bounce anytime LHO can overcall, preemptively or otherwise, and rho has a big fit.

[the hog]

Just a comment on the bidding. Firstly as has been pointed out, 4H is an underbid, particularly when you give me back my knave of hearts.

Isn't 3H forcing in your system? 4H says pass or give me preference tio 4S.

Secondly, the 4NT bidder was clearly smoking something very strong and very noxious. He has a clear cut pass on THIS auction. 4NT is a beginner's bid!

[whereagles]

Hum.. well, 3NT as specific ace ask sure must be far rarer than gambling. Even 3NT as bal 25-27 must come out more often :)

[DWM]

Oops should check my records a bit closer before posting a hand it was AQTxxx for the hearts

[zimzam]

Open 1♠ and rebid 5♥. Partner would lift with a keycard then I hope :)

[whereagles]

Careful, zimzam... if you bid

 

1♠ 2♣

5♥

 

pard might think 5♥ is some kind of voidwood or grand slam try and bid 7♣ :)

[Fluffy]

I can almost hear an old lady telling me: you need 18 HCP for jump shift, this hand is obvious 1♠+2♥, then accept partner invitation into 4♥, bridge is easy.